Undergarment



Aug. 13, 1935. I A. M. THOMAS UNDERGARMENT I Filed Sept. 20, 1934 INVENTOR JZrZhurJlL T homws I E ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 13, 1935 UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE UNDERGARMENT Arthur M. Thomas, New York, N. Y., assignor to Thomas & Marcus, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application September 20, 1934, Serial No. 744,824

2 Claims.

5 ment.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved undergarment for women wherein a complete construction is presented extending from above thev breasts to below the crotch, and forming in one combination panties, a shirt body, and a brassiere.

A further object, more specifically, is to provide an undergarment of the character mention-ed which is removably connected together at the bottom, and which has "at the rear near the top elastic means for holding the parts so as to snugly fit the body when in use, but permits a proper distension so that the garment may be passed over the head and downwardly into the proper position.

In the accompanying drawing Figure 1 is a front view of an undergarment disclosing an embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is a rear view of the garment shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view through Figure 1 on the line 3-3;

Figure 4 is a view similar to the lower part of the structure shown in Figure 3, but with the parts of the crotch strap disconnected;

Figure 5 is a side view of the lower part of the structure shown in Figure 1, with one of the crotch strap sections turned back for better illustrating the construction.

Referring to the accompanying drawing by numerals, l indicates the body of the garment, which in a certain sense acts as a shirt, and which merges into panties 2, and also into a brassiere 3. The body I and also the panties 2 are made preferably from a single piece conopenings 5 and 5. These leg openings are each provided with an elastic band 1 whereby they may snugly fit the leg when the garment is in use. If desired, these bands could be made of some length so as to present tubular leg portions though ordinarily-the bands 1 are sufficient.

Arranged centrally of the garment and at the front andback are crotch strap sections 8 and l which overlap slightly, as shown in Figure 3, and are disengageably secured together by suitable disengageable fasteners l0. These fasteners may be snaps, buttons or other disengageable fastening means. ThesectionsB and 9 are of special construction, each section fitting into a V-shaped opening II, as shown in Figure l, and also each section being provided with portions l2 and I3 connected together by a central seam M. It will be noted that the bands 1 are not tubular until the disengageable fastening means I are functioning and, consequently, the bands at the respective ends are stitched to one of the sides of the members l2 and IS. The entire section 8, for instance, is shaped somewhat in the order of a spearhead. The respective seams l4, I and I6 act to reinforce and strengthen the garment at this point. It will be noted that both sections 8 and 9 are identical in construction and-therefore the description of section 8 is applicable to section 9. means II] are disengaged or non-functioning the garment will be completely open from the point I] to point l8 and may be readily passed over the head and shoulders and moved downwardly to a proper position on the body, after which the fasteners H! are engaged.

In order to cause the upper part of the garment to fit properly and at the same time be able to be passed over the head, there is provided an elastic member ID which is stitched at points 20 and 2| to the brassiere 3 and along the seam 22 to the body I. When this elastic member is first placed in position the elastic is stretchedto almost its fullest extent and stitched in place while so stretched, so that when it is released it will draw the parts together and produce folds or puckers .23.

The brassiere 3 is provided with suitable breast pockets 24 and 25 which may be made of the same material as the body I or some other material as desired, and secured to the body I by a line of stitching 26. Shoulder straps 21 and 28 are connected at spaced points to the elastic l9 and to the highest points at the front of the breast pockets, the connection being usually by a suitable form of stitching. Preferably the shoulder straps are inelastic and may be made from ribbon, while the brassiere, body and panties may be made from any desired material, for instance, silk, rayon, or some other desirable "Lia- When the disengageable fastening substantially inelastic.

It will be noted that the elastic bands I are stitched in place by suitable lines of stitching 29 and 30 so as to pucker the leg openings of the panties, whereby they may be properly stretched to fit different sized legs. It will be understood that the garment is made from comparatively light material and therefore does not moldthe body but conforms itself to the shape of the body and produces a snug fit at the waistline and around the breasts, as well as at the legs.

The garment may be worn without a corset or other foundation garment or may be worn over a foundation garment and function to present a pleasing outline as'it will automatically conform itself to a corset and to the body of the wearer. When. used with a corset or girdle, or when used without a foundation garment the garment embodying the present invention will present a straight line efiect whereby a dress placed thereover will present a desirable appearance.

I claim:-

1. An undergarment of the character described, including panties, brassiere having rear ends and a shirt section. connecting the brassire and the panties, said panties having a crotch strap arranged between the leg openings of the panties, said crotch strap being divided into two parts and disengageably fastened together centrally of the crotch when the garment is in use whereby the parts of the strap may be disengaged and the garment drawn on to the body over the head, said brassire at the rear having an elastic, member having one longitudinal edge permanently connected with the shirt portion and the respective ends connected to said rear ends of said brassiere, said shirt portion at the elastic section of the brassiere being puckered when said elastic member is unstretched whereby the shirt portion at the upper edge and the brassiere will resiliently distend when the garment is being placed in position, and the garment will then automatically assume its normal position so as to conform to the body of the person wearing the garment.

2. An undergarment of the character described formed substantially in one piece and presenting at the upper end a brassiere, at the center a shirt, and at the bottom panties, said panties having a crotch strap divided into two parts disengageable fastening means for securing the ends of said parts together, and an elastic member forming part of the rear of the brassire to cause the same to fit snugly when in use, said elastic member also having its lower longitudinal edge permanently connectedto the upper edge of said shirt portion, the connection with the shirt being such that the shirt portion is puckered to provide a snug fit for the shirt when the elastic member is not under tension.

ARTHUR M. THOMAS. 

